Cheap Linux VPS Hosting

The web hosting world today is flooded with different companies, different services, different prices, features and all that can be quite confusing to the novice user, who is trying to find the service that will best suit his needs. And this is especially true for the Virtual Private Server hosting, since this type of hosting allows for the hosting providers to include a variety of additional services, into their VPS hosting packages. The one thing, the VPS hosting services are known about, is their affordability. However, because there are all kinds of companies out there, this is not always true. There is a difference between the price of the basic virtual server package and the final price, which the user ends up paying in order to use the service.

Cheap VPS services or- What should one look for, before buying?

It is a well known fact, within the marketing and commercial spheres that the common user is naïve, ignorant and cheap. Therefore, most of the web hosting providers, take advantage of that fact, in order to lure clients into paying a high final price, by setting extremely low prices for their web hosting packages, which have no actual functionality. It is quite simple- by knowing that most users have no idea of how the technical specifications of a virtual private server should look like, providers create basic packages which offer decent disk space and monthly traffic amounts and they set a very low price for that package, which however, doesn't include, for instance, a private IP address, or an operating system, or even RAM specification. And once the customer, blinded by the low price, purchase that package, he finds out that there is no money back guarantee, and the service is completely useless if he doesn't buy the additional services, which the providers offers on quite a high price. So, in order to avoid that, there should be several things that the user should look for in the VPS packages, before he rushes in and places the payment:

Complete list of the technical parameters

It is very important that the VPS package, as stated on the site, has a complete, full and detailed list, for the technical attributes of the VPS package. This list should include- Disk space, monthly traffic, RAM and CPU. At least the first three characteristics should be on a visible spot in the features list and should have accurate and exact parameters. The CPU usage limitation can be little tricky, since there are usually multiple VPS accounts on the same server, therefore, most hosting providers don't actually set a CPU limitation, but instead each VPS may use up to a certain amount of the server's processor time, which is unused at the specific moment. In most cases that should be around 40% of the server's CPU, which the VPS may use at any moment. In any case, be sure to check the Terms of Service for that limitation. If it's not listed on the main page, it should be mentioned in there.

Dedicated IP address

Each virtual private server must have its own dedicated IP address, in order to function properly. If the server is using a shared IP, then the whole 'private" idea becomes useless, since the service will not actually be private. Therefore, in the VPS features list, there should be a line that says something like "1 dedicated IP address", or "Dedicated IPs- 1", or anything that confirms that the VPS account actually comes with a dedicated IP address. In some cases, the IP is not listed in the plan's features, therefore, carefully look through what the other features say. For instance, NTCHosting.com, do not mention a dedicated IP address in their main VPS features list, however, in their additional services section, there is a additional IPs section, which suggests that one dedicated IP is already included in the packages. If a there isn't an IP included in the package then beware, since this hosting company is obviously trying either to fool you and take advantage of you, or trying to lure clients with low pricing and a shady service.

Web hosting control panel

Most VPS services come without a control panel. This is not because the hosting provider is trying to cheat you, but simply because each control panel installation changes the default OS configuration, which is something that an advanced user, who manages the VPS through a console, doesn't want to happen. However, for the normal web hosting user, managing a virtual private server or any web server for that matter, through a console can be a nightmare. Therefore, always check if the company offers any web hosting control panels, as an additional service to the VPS package. Note that most of the control panels are third-party software and have a paid license, therefore, are not free neither to the hosting provider, nor to the end client. Therefore, if you wish to have a cPanel, a DirectAdmin, or a Plesk installation, expect an additional fee of at least 10 USD/month to be added to your VPS bill. On the other hand, the price for the control panel should not be too high, so beware to check the pricing before ordering, in order to avoid paying a price of 50 USD/month, for instance, for a cPanel control panel. Also, it is important to check if the VPS package that you've chosen, can support a control panel at all. Some VPS packages are too small for a control panel to be installed on them, so be sure to check in the features list, or with the company's support department, to see if the package you've selected can support that feature. Beware of companies that do not offer a control panel for their VPS service at all. Most of them are scammers.

VPS hosting features- Overall

These are the most important features for a VPS package. However, be sure to check in details, the list of features on the site. Read through every line and check each feature and each pricing. Check the Upgrade section on the prices for the additional services. Always ask for assistance from the company's support service, if something is not clear to you.

The operating system

As in everything, when it comes to computers, there are always two types of operating systems- Windows based and UNIX based. UNIX is basically the core of each Linux distribution. And Windows, well, it's simply Windows. Unlike in PCs, however, when it comes to web servers, Linux is the preferred operating system. There are many reasons for that. First of all, Linux is open-sourced, which means that the system administrator can make changes to the actual distribution, adding his own unique ideas into it, therefore, making it more secured. Especially, if the system administrator is an experienced professional. Second- Linux is free, which means that the hosting provider doesn't have to pay a license for it, which of course, directly reflects on the prices for the services. Windows based servers, are far more vulnerable to hacker and virus attacks, simply because of its closed-source core, meaning that each Windows web server is exactly the same as any other Windows web server. Because of that, 99,9% of the world's malware software, is written for Windows operating system. In any case, Linux is far more secure than Windows and the Linux based web hosting services, are far more cheaper than their Windows based equivalents.